Semantic knowledge use in discourse produced by individuals with anomic aphasia

Abstract

Background Researchers have demonstrated that people with aphasia (PWA) have preserved semantic knowledge (Dell et al., 1997; Jefferies & Lambon Ralph, 2006). However, Antonucci (2014) demonstrated that some PWA have impaired access to certain types of knowledge more than others. Yet, all these studies used single concepts. It has not been demonstrated whether PWA have difficulty accessing certain types of features within a discourse sample. Aims The main goals of this study were to determine if semantic knowledge and two category types were used differently within discourse produced by participants with anomic aphasia and healthy controls. Method & Procedures Participants with anomic aphasia (n=19) and healthy controls (n=19) told stories that were transcribed and coded for 10 types of semantic knowledge and two category types, living and nonliving things. Outcomes & Results A Poisson regression model was conducted. The results indicated a significant difference between the groups for the semantic knowledge types, sound and internal state, but no difference was found for category types. Yet the distribution of semantic knowledge and category types produced within the discourse samples were similar between the groups. Conclusion PWA might have differential access to certain types of semantic knowledge within discourse production, but it does not rise to the level of categorical deficits. These findings extend single-concept research into the realm of discourse.

A Systematic Review of Semantic Feature Analysis Therapy Studies for Aphasia

“…Reports on treatment studies involving semantic feature review or verification have been excluded. Thus 15 articles were excluded, as they reported on a different semantic features approach, such as semantic feature verification rather than generation, or combined SFA with other treatment approaches in the same therapy protocol, such as response elaboration training (RET), communication based therapy, semantic priming, semantic judgment tasks, auditory concept feature and gesturing treatment (Antonucci, 2014a;Boo & Rose, 2011;Cameron, Wambaugh, Wright, & Nessler, 2006;Carragher, Conroy, Sage, & Wilkinson, 2012;Conley & Coelho, 2003;Edmonds & Kiran, 2006;Hashimoto, 2016;Kintz, Wright, & Fergadiotis, 2016;Kiran & Roberts, 2010;Knoph, Simonsen & Lind, 2017;Law, Wong, Sung, & Hon, 2006;Lowell, Beeson, & Holland, 1995;Raymer, Rodriguez, & Rothi, 2007;Wallace & Kimelman, 2013;Wambaugh, Mauszycki, Cameron, Wright, & Nessler, 2013).…”